


Sing With Me

by Bookgirl318



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-26
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-03 13:27:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5292785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookgirl318/pseuds/Bookgirl318
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reality show Duets is looking for new couples from each district.  Will the chemistry on and off stage between Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark win them the ultimate prize?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an older story that I am reediting and finally getting to post here. I hope that you enjoy it! Much love to Fightforfiction for the beautiful banner!

 

**__CHapter 1-Katniss_ _ **

__You say I only hear what I want to__  
_You say I talk so all the time so._  
 _And I thought what I felt was simple,_  
 _And I thought that I don't belong,_  
 _And now that I am leaving,_  
 _Now I know that I did something wrong 'cause I missed you._  
 _Yeah, I missed you._

The song continued on the radio as Katniss tapped her fingers in time to the rhythm.  Driving the old blue Toyota Tercel with chipping paint, at least it got her and her sister from point A to point B. Katniss turned up the volume of the familiar tune as it was one of her favorites. She felt that need deep inside her to sing out, but she would not. She could not.  Ever since that awful day five years ago, she had for the most part silenced her voice. It reminded her too much of _him_.  Only on her walks when she was truly alone in the woods did she ever let it out. Her sister constantly begged and pleaded for her to sing the sweet lullabies she used to hear. But even as much as she loved Primrose, the pain inside would not let her do it.

It was perfect timing as the song was ending just as Katniss pulled into the school parking lot. She was cutting it close, but knew she would make it on time to her first class. She got out and power walked to the steps that led inside, heading to first period Algebra. Madge was already seated at her desk when she entered the room and motioned for Katniss to sit at her usual desk in front of the blonde mayor's daughter. She did so, and had only relaxed for a second before the teacher began the class. After a few minutes, a piece of paper was placed on her desk.

_Did you have a good weekend? What did you do? -M_

Katniss smiled. Madge was really her only close friend at school, and it was nice to be able to share at least a little of her life with someone. She took her own pencil and wrote a reply.

_Not much. Mom was working long shifts at the hospital, so I had to watch Prim. –K_

She pretended to stretch and passed the note back. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Madge open it and give a small nod. Katniss knew that meant the notes were over for the moment. She then tried to pay attention to the teacher, but the minutes seem to crawl by like a snail. Finally, the bell rang to signal it was time to go to the next period. Madge caught up with her in the hallway.

"I'm sorry that you were stuck for the weekend. Maybe we can go to a movie on Saturday for some fun."

"I'll have to let you know," Katniss signed. "Mom doesn't have her full schedule yet, so I may have to watch Prim again."

Madge looked at her with compassion, "I understand, just keep me posted. I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yeah, see you there," and the parted, with Katniss then headed to history class. She found her seat, and once again tried to pay attention to what seemed like a never ending lecture. At least there was one distraction in this class, she thought.   And with that thought turned her head to look at said distraction. As she did, Katniss caught wavy blonde hair and deep blue eyes staring right back at her. She quickly turned her eyes back to the front of the classroom.

How stupid she had been to try and look at him! She should have known that he would catch her watching him at some point. She had tried to keep her crush on him a secret for so long. He couldn't know that the debt she owed for what he had done for her so long ago had stayed with her. How she wanted to tell him how his actions saved her and her family. How his kindness and compassion had drawn her in so much that she found herself dreaming of him at night, and even sometimes during the day.

In her reverie about him, she finally wondered why Peeta Mellark had been looking at her when she tried to get a glimpse of him. There wasn't a logical reason for that, but maybe he was just bored and looking around the room to find distraction as she had. She shook her head and let it go at that and tried once again to concentrate on the subject. Having Peeta in class, though, always made it hard as she just wanted to get lost in those beautiful eyes of his. She was realistic, though, and knew that a popular boy like him would never want to be seen publicly with a girl as low on the social ladder as she was. No one ever gave her a second thought. Oh well, one can still dream she sighed to herself as the bell rang to end her torture.

She left the room and continued on with her day, without much fanfare, thank goodness. She finally made it to lunch and found where Madge and Gale were sitting. Her two best friends who just so happened to be dating. They always invited her on their dates and never made her feel like the third wheel. They even tried setting her up with a few boys on double dates, but she never seemed to feel that special thing for any of them. She had never told Gale and Madge about her secret feelings for Peeta, either. She wasn't sure they would understand.

The lunch conversation was in its usual flow about weekend activities, upcoming school events, the latest couples gossip, and so on, until Madge broke in with something she remembered.

"Oh, Katniss, did you see the flyer over there? You won't believe it!" her friend gushed.

"What is it?" her curiosity was heightened by Madge's enthusiasm.

"There is going to be an opportunity to be in competition for the next season of Duets. I absolutely love that show! I would try out myself if I didn't already know I have a terrible voice."

"Win a chance to sing on Duets?" Katniss said in disbelief. It was also her favorite reality show.  Actually, it was the only show she really watched at all.   She and Prim tuned in to it weekly when it was on. They always discussed and tried to bet on who would win. The singers were all usually very good. They were selected from competitions around all of Panem, with one couple coming from each district. Every week they would sing duets to try and win votes from the viewers, and the couple getting the lowest votes would be cut from the competition. The last two couples remaining would have a huge sing off and voters would choose a final winner. The winning singers would get a record deal, a victory concert tour, along with other prizes. It was amazing.

Katniss was so lost in her thoughts about the possibilities that she almost didn't hear Gale chime in, "Hey Catnip, you should go look at the flyer. You used to sing so well, I bet you could at least try out to see. You never know, you just might get picked!"

She scowled and shook her head at her friend.  "Gale, I don't sing anymore, you know that. Besides, I would be so out of practice now. There is no way anyone would want me to sing."

He looked at her intensely, "Look Katniss, I know why you don't sing, but this could be a way for you to heal a little bit. It's been such a long time since he's been gone. You should at least give it a shot. Just go over and look at the information."  He nodded in the direction of the school information bulletin board as he and Madge stood up.  "We need to go anyways. Gotta head to the library for a little bit." With that, he and Madge walked away, threw out their trash,  and headed out of the cafeteria.

Katniss sat there for a few minutes longer, thinking over what Gale had said. Deep in her heart she knew he was right. It had been five years and she had continued to bottle up so much by not singing. The only time she ever felt free of the pain was when she let all her emotion out in the woods. She had to begin to let go. It was time.

With a deep breath, she slowly got up, threw her trash away, took her tray to the kitchen area, and then walked over to the wall where her friends had pointed to the flyer. Katniss finally got close enough to read the words.

**WIN A CHANCE TO COMPETE ON DUETS!**

**Students are encouraged to come and try out for a chance to sing on the next season of Duets. One boy and one girl will be chosen from District 12 High to compete in the capitol. If you are interested, please take a form to fill out and place your initials below for a time to sing. You will need to choose a song and work out accompanying music. Tryouts will be private. If you have any questions, please talk with Mr. Abernathy in the music department.**

After the information, a listing of dates and times were listed, half for boys and half for girls, with blank lines next to them to sign up. Many of the times already had initials placed next to them. Katniss was at least happy that the tryouts were going to be private and at least she wouldn't be embarrassed if she did try out and ended up singing terribly. If she could be in her own private room, no one might even be the wiser hat she even did it, so no harm. She wanted to try to sing, but not sure at all if she was ready to do it in front of a crowd.

Katniss thought for a moment longer about all of this. She was coming to the decisionthat at least attempting to try out would be a step in the right direction. She didn't have to think beyond that right now. Winners of the competition got the record deal, but anyone competing got a cash prize. The longer one stayed on, the larger the prize. Any money won would go far to helping her family. It could go to college funds for her and Prim. Their mother worked so hard, but still made barely enough for them to live on. Katniss tried to find a job to help, but their mother wouldn't allow it, saying that school came first. Any extra money would most definitely help out. Just one more reason she should go for it.

With all of the factors, Katniss made her final choice. She found that 4:00 on Thursday afternoon was still an open time slot. She quickly got out a pencil and wrote her initials down. She put the writing utensil back in her backpack, and began walking to her next class.

As she moved along in her day, one thought kept repeating in her head.

_What have I just done?_

**Song lyrics were from Stay (I Missed You) by Lisa Loeb**


	2. Chapter 2

 

** **

**_Chapter 2-Peeta_ **

"Come on Mellark! You can get him!" Peeta heard the loud shouts from some of his teammates as he circled the mat, his opponent on the other side trying to stare him down. He decided that just circling forever was a waste of time, so making a decision as to what move to use; he pushed forward and began his attack. Within a minute, he had the other boy pinned down and the coach counting to three and making Peeta the winner of the round. He got up from the mat to the cheers of the rest of the squad Smiling, he turned to the younger boy he had just beaten and shook his hand.

"Great move," the boy smiled, "you really got me there. You'll have to teach me that one sometime."

"Sure thing,  You keep at it yourself," Peeta returned the smile, glad that there were not any hard feelings. He always hated that after a match he had won. He liked winning, but at the same time hated when those he had beat were bad sports about it. It was the worst part of competition in his mind.

Peeta left the gym to head to the showers. Wrestling practice was always his first period of the school day and he needed to clean up for the rest of his classes. Pats on the back and yells of "Great job!" were shouted at him as he showered. He quickly got dressed and walked through the halls to get to his history classroom just in time.  

He went through the doorway and already saw that she was there. _Katniss._ She looked comfortable in jeans and a sweatshirt. Her hair was done in its usual braid. He couldn't help but to look, as no matter what she wore he thought her beautiful. She didn't know that she was, though, nor did she know that he thought that way about her.

Once again, the young man sighed and sat down in his usual chair. The teacher began the lecture on Panem history, focusing on the time right before the revolution that rocked their country a century before. Even though he tried his hardest to pay attention, Peeta felt his mind wondering.  _What is she thinking about right now?_ After a few minutes he couldn't' stand it, he turned and looked over to where she was. To his shock and amazement, a pair of grey eyes were staring right back at him. His eyes widened at this, and he saw her immediately turn her gaze away when she realized he saw her.  _What just happened?_  He thought.  _Why was she looking at me? Did I miss something here?_ He shook his head at these thoughts, realizing they were impossible. Katniss had never in her life noticed him, except for the one time five years ago. It had been a long time, but that one moment of connection they had was still engraved in his memory. He knew that she should have gone up and talked to her millions of time, but could just never get up the courage to do it.

Peeta turned his gaze back to the front of class and somehow his way through the rest of the lecture. Once over, he saw Katniss fly out of the room and onward to her next destination. No way to ask her what that was about now, Peeta shrugged his shoulders. Since talking to her was a lost cause, he decided to take his time getting his things together before heading on to his own scheduled place.

Things were fairly routine until he hit the cafeteria for lunch. His wrestling teammates were all around one of the tables, motioning for him to come sit with them. He joined them, but out of the corner of his eye made notice of where Katniss was sitting with her friends Gale and Madge. He had been jealous of Gale's longstanding friendship with Katniss for a while, until Peeta caught on to the fact that the tall hunter boy was dating the blonde bubbly mayor's daughter.   _Yea for that._ Katniss seemed close enough to both of them.

Peeta was slowly eating through his sandwich and letting his mind wonder, when his friend Delly came over and started talking animatedly.

"Did you see the flyer? Did you? The chance to be on Duets! Oh, I wish I could be on it, but you know I can't sing a note in tune to save my life!" The enthusiasm just glowed off of her.

Peeta's attention was captured by this news. He knew about the show Duets and had even watched a few episodes on TV. A boy and a girl from each district singing duets together and the people voted on which partners they liked the best. It was mostly a popularity contest, but Peeta had to admit the singers were all usually pretty good. He listened as the conversation continued.

"How could you want to be on that show Cartwright? It's so lame," his team captain remarked. "They sing such mushy songs, all about love. They never have any songs with a good beat to them. It's all about how cute the girls think the boys are anyway."

"How can you say that?" Delly was fighting back. "Some of the best written songs are on that show! There is nothing wrong with love songs. You don't like it just because you can't sing and don't' have a girlfriend, either."

The two continued to go back and forth, each holding their position on their view of the show. The wrestlers were behind their captain, stating that none of them would be caught dead even attempting to try out for the show. At this point, Peeta kept quiet, for he wasn't ready to let out the secret that he had been holding for a while.

As lunch ended, the blonde boy said goodbye to the group and walked toward his next class, but as he did so, purposefully passed by the flyer. He at least wanted to see what it said. He read the details and took them in, wanting to keep it to himself until he had the chance to talk it out later when he had the chance.

The rest of the day passed by quickly, and Peeta got in his Honda Civic and headed home. He had to help at the bakery this afternoon and didn't want to be too late or his mother would let him hear about it. She loved him, he knew, but was such a hard taskmaster to him and his brothers. He got there in good time to find her in a fairly decent mood, and his work went by quickly. As he took the cheese buns he had made out of the oven, he took his apron off as he set the cooking sheet on the counter to cool. He placed the buns in a basket, then headed out to the house next door.

Peeta knew he didn't have to walk, so he just opened the front door and walked on in.

"Mr. Abernathy, are you here?" he called out. He looked around the living room with its massive piano sitting along the wall. Not finding anyone, he then went into the kitchen. Thinking the house was empty, he started to head toward the door when he heard footsteps on the stairs and a voice growl, "What do you want boy? What is so important that you feel the need to disturb my nap?"

"If it was so important, you would have locked your door," Peeta lashed back at him. "I came by to talk to you about the Duets tryout."

"Saw the flyer, did you?" the music teacher sat down as he spoke, "What did you want to know?"

"Everyone is talking about it, "Peeta said, "and I was thinking about trying out. I wanted to know if you think I'd have a shot if I did."

The older man thought for a minute, then looked at the teenager, "Of course I think you have a chance, boy. I haven't been teaching you all these months for nothing, have I?"

Peeta thought about this. He knew the man would not have said what he did if he didn't mean it, so he knew Haymitch was speaking the truth. When he started learning to sing from the teacher, it was a fluke, really. He had just been in the backyard working on trimming the bushes and humming along, when all of the sudden Mr. Abernathy called to him over the fence. He knew that the school's music teacher lived next door, but up until now had never spoken with him.

_"Good humming, kid." the old man had began.  "Ever tried singing?"_

_Peeta had been shocked at the question.  "No," he replied. "I'm on the wrestling team."_

_"Does that take all your time, then?" the teacher asked._

_"A good chunk of it," Peeta had told him._

_Mr. Abernathy had nodded his head.  "Well, if you ever decide you might like to try some lessons out, just let me know.  I could enjoy teaching you a thing or two.  You can pay me by doing some chores around here.  Good male voices are hard to come by."_

Peeta had at first thought the old man wanted him to join the choir at school, which he knew would only bring him ridicule with his friends. He came to find out that this was not what the teacher meant. He wanted to give him lessons in private at his home. It truly seemed like a strange proposition at first, but Peeta was curious to see if he really could sing. He told him that he would try, and the following week showed up for the first round of teaching. It was a tortuous event; being told to do scales and other exercises, but he managed through. The next week, after debating with himself, he decided to go back and found with each lesson it became easier. More so, Peeta found that the more he worked at it, the more he enjoyed singing. It was so different from sports, yet still gave him the same satisfaction of success as he saw his skills improve. And they did improve quickly, as Haymitch would grudgingly tell him every so often. Through it all, Peeta kept the lessons a secret from everyone. None of his friends, or even his family knew what he had been up to. They all thought he just visited the old man out of his natural kindness.  Haymitch gave him lessons, and Peeta would come over and mow the lawn or vacuum the house.

So when this new opportunity arose, he knew he needed his teacher's thoughts.  He was happy to hear the old man's verdict.  

"Thanks," said Peeta after his silent reverie, "I just wanted to hear it from you before I did anything."

The look on the other man's face was serious, "Not a problem. You do realize, though, that if you do this that everyone is going to find out about it? No one would believe that all of the sudden you can sing."

The boy nodded. "I know, but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. It wouldn't be public anyway unless I actually make it! I have time until that point to think about how I would handle it."

"It's your choice, boy. But, good luck whatever you decide to do," and with that he got up, a sign to Peeta that he wanted him to leave.

"I appreciate the time," and with a quick walk he went out of the house and back to his own, heading up to his room. No one really bothered him, so there was plenty of time that evening to complete his homework and think about what he would do. He thought about what his friends and even Katniss would think if they found out, versus the opportunity that could arise if he tried out. The pros and cons of both sides weighed on him until he finally made up his mind.

The next day he rose with his alarm and got ready quickly. He left even before anyone else in the house was truly up and running, other than his father who was already busy baking. Peeta grabbed his backpack and drove the quick distance to school. The office was open, but no students seemed to have showed up yet. He quietly walked through the halls until he came to the cafeteria and found the flyer. He looked at the listing of days and times for the boys and found only one slot left at 4:05 on Thursday. He quickly placed his initials on the line and headed to the library to study until he needed to get ready for wrestling practice.

Though he was trying to focus, one mantra kept coming into his head.

H _ere goes nothing_.


	3. Chapter 3

****

**Katniss** **  
**

At school the next day, Katniss was again passing notes to Madge and doodling in an afternoon class, when the Intercom buzzed overhead.

"This is an important message to all students who have signed up for the Duets tryouts. Please stop by Mr. Abernathy's office to pick up the music for your session. Thank you."

Katniss made a mental note that she would have to find a time alone to do this. At least it would be interesting to see what she would have to sing. She hoped it would be something she at least knew a little bit about instead of an obscure song she had never heard of. She would sing better, obviously, the more familiar she was with the tune. But she still didn't want anyone catching on to what she was doing.  She decided the best time would be right after school on her way out.  Madge and Gale usually said goodbye and left her alone, knowing she had to rush home and take care of Prim.

She trudged her way through the rest of the day and when the final bell rang at 3:45, made her way downstairs to the music department without trying to attract any attention. She entered through the doors and walked into the office marked Music Department Director. She knocked lightly, and an unpleasant voice called out.

"Come in." it said.

No matter the tone, Katniss could only obey, and the man she knew to be Mr. Abernathy looked up at her as he acknowledged her presence. "Is there something I can do for you sweetheart?"

She took a deep breath to steady herself.  "I...I've come to get the sheet music for the Duets tryout," the words tumbled out from her.

The man looked her over and made a quick assessment.  "I don't recognize you from any of my classes. Are you sure you can or want to do this?" he asked her.

"I haven't done any singing in awhile, but my father taught me how,when I was little" Katniss replied.

The older man nodded and finally shuffled some papers over to her, along with a CD. Katniss looked down at the sheets and saw that the song she was going to have to sing was the love song from the movie  _Cinderella_.

She must have had the wrong reaction to the music on her face, because Mr. Abernathy spoke up, "Is there something wrong with the song?"

Katniss decided to answer honestly, "No, I just thought that we would probably tryout with a longer and more complex song."

"This tryout is not about complexity." Mr. Abernathy grouched.  "It's about how the two voices sound together. This song is definitely good enough to let us know that. And trust me, if chosen; the songs will be more difficult on the show. I am not looking for the best individual singers, but two people who can sing together," and with that he finished and looked back down at his papers as if everything was as clear as mud now.  Katniss did understand what he was saying, though, and left without further comment. The conversation was obviously over at this point.

She made her way to the car and headed home. She now had work to do and needed to practice. The young woman arrived and was immediately assaulted by her sister wanting to share all that happened in her day. In the middle of all the rambling, Prim caught eye of the papers in her hand.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Music," Katniss said simply.

"And why do you have music?" the blonde headed girl was all ears for an explanation.

Well, if anyone had to know what she was up to, Katniss supposed it should be Prim. "I'm going to try out for the Duets show."

The squeal of delight told her everything she needed to know. "OH my gosh!  Are you serious?  I love that show!"

"i know you do." Katniss smiled at her. "But don't get to excited.  I haven't made it onto to the show yet.":

"Oh, but I know you will." Prim responded.  She grabbed the papers out of her hand. "Let me see what you have to do!"

She took a few moments to look at the song, and finally nodded.  "I think I remember this song.  It doesn't look too difficult."

"No, it doesn't" Katniss agreed.  "But I'm pretty rusty.  I still need to practice."

"Well, then.  You just march upstairs right now young lady and get to work!"" the young girl ordered.  Katniss gave her sister a salute and turned to follow what she had been commanded.

She trudged up the stairs as Prim gave a final shout.  "You can do this! I know you can." 

With resignation and a small smile, Katniss went into her room.  Green painted walls stared back at her as she sat on her bed. She placed the music in front of her, looking at the notes. She knew the song a little from watching the movie years ago, but would definitely need to work out the technicalities. She put the CD she had been given into her player, and just gave it a go. It was terrible. She was so rusty and missed so many notes. She tried again and again for thirty minutes but couldn't seem to work it out.

She was getting frustrated and decided she and her voice needed. She put her jacket on, and walked back downstairs.

"I'm going out for a bit," Katniss yelled out to Prim.  "I won't be gone long."

From a distance she saw her sister acknowledge that the message was received with a wave of her hand, and Katniss left the house, walking towards the woods. The closer she got with each step, the more she could feel her tension floating away.. She walked until she was at her spot, a clearing in the woods where she and Gale met often for hunting. There was a huge log sitting in the middle that Katniss sat upon, and just let the peace of the place sink into her. Finally, she decided to try the song one more time here. As she always did, she felt his presence, her father, as she began to sing. Immediately, the tune sounded much better than any of the times she had attempted it at home. She continued and everything sounded more natural, less forced.

She wished she could take that feeling with her outside of the woods, It was so hard because it was only with that presence of the man who taught her everything about singing with her could she truly sing. She only had ever really felt it here in the sanctuary of the trees ever since his death five years ago in a mining accident. The loss left her so devastated. She had loved him so much and the woods were their special place together. He had taught her so much here about hunting, survival, and singing. Her pain from his death left such a scar and for so long singing had just made it worse, so she stopped, except when she was here.

Katniss realized she had to get through this. She needed this.  She needed to sing. As she sat there, she could hear her father telling her to _get up and do it_ , that he would be with her. He was in her heart, and with that she could still sing.

After some time in her revelry, she came back to herself to realize that it was now dark, even though she felt like she had been there for only a few minutes. She headed home, determined to continue on, and hoping that Prim won't be too mad at her for being gone so long....

Over the next few days, Katniss found a way to practice outside of the woods. She found that the spirit she had in the woods could come with her, and each time she worked on it, Katniss found her voice improving, even beginning to sounds like she did before.

The trepidation of what she had to do, though, all came to roost on the day of the tryout. Thursday was here before she knew it, and as much as Katniss wished she could have more time,she found that she was out of it. This particular day dragged on and on and each moment passing making her nervousness increase more, until the blessed final bell rang. Katniss said her goodbyes to Gale and Madge, who still had no idea what she would be doing. Taking her backpack, she tossed the straps on her shoulders and once again headed through hallways and down stairs until at just before 4:00 she walked through the music department doors. Mr. Abernathy was sitting on the couch waiting for her, along with a couple of other school teachers.

"Hello sweetheart, are you ready to get started?" he greeted her.

"Ready or not, I'm here," her nervousness obviously showed in her hesitant voice.

Surprisingly, the look she received from the music teacher was somewhat sympathetic, "You'll be fine," he told her,  "Just head on into Studio 1 and find the headphones to put on. Good luck. We'll be listening."  He motioned toward the hallway on her right.

Katniss nodded and she made her way down the orange carpted walk until she found the door marked Studio 1. She entered the booth and found the headphones easily. She put one of them up to her ear.

After a moment, the young woman heard a voice coming through.  "Your partner should be here in a couple of minutes.  We'll start once he's all set up."

"Ok," she quietly responded.  A minute or two passed, and Katniss tapped her fingers on the stool she was sitting on, hating the wait.

But before too long, the voice spoke once again.  "We're ready.  Song should be beginning soon. Once you hear the first downbeat, you can begin."

Katniss took a deep breath and thought of her father. She could hear his voice telling her to just sing to him like she had in the woods. She could do this. She let the breath out, and the next moment heard the mentioned downbeat and Katniss felt filled up as she sang into the microphone.

_Mmmmmm.Mmmmmm_

_So this is love, Mmmmmm_

_So this is love_

_So this is what makes life divine_

_I'm all aglow, Mmmmmm_

_And now I know_

" _And now I know,"_ Katniss was completely startled as she heard the male voice through her headset. It was an amazing voice, so deep and rich.  She was so entranced by it, that in the moment it registered in her mind, she almost forgot to keep going herself. Luckily, her brain caught up quickly and she was able to continue and found her voice combining with his.

_ The key to all heaven is mine _

_ My heart has wings, Mmmmmm _

  
_And I can fly_

  
_I'll touch ev'ry star in the sky_

_ So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of _

  
_Mmmmmm_

  
_Mmmmmm_

  
_So this is love"_

As the last note of the music drifted off, there ended up being silence for almost a full minute. It seemed as if the world had stopped for a moment, and Katniss couldn't' believe what had just happened. She had never before experienced anything like that when singing, either alone or with her father when he was alive. Whoever the voice was, it was like his sound and hers were meant to be together. The connection of the two was magical.  _Who was he?_  She had to know and was about to say something when she heard a gruff voice in her headphones.

"Next duo is coming in soon." it said.  "Better get on out of the sound booths"  Oh well, she would have to wait to ask Mr. Abernathy about her partner.

Katniss took the headphones off of her head and turned toward the door of the booth; opening it to let herself into the hallway. As she went through the doorway, she heard another door in the next studio to her open. She turned to where the sound had come from and was shocked at what she saw. A familiar muscular blonde haired, blue-eyed figure was before her. Peeta Mellark had been in the studio next to her. It took her only a few seconds to realize that he had been her singing partner. A surge of varying emotions ran through her. Confusion, surprise, and joy all combined together at this new knowledge. She had no idea at all that he could sing, and so well, too!

Katniss looked at him and saw in his eyes that he did not seem to be as surprised to see her as she was him. She added that to the many questions that she had for him at this moment.  But with all this new information, she could only get one sentence out.

"It was you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song credit: So This is Love by Ilene Woods and Mike Douglas from Disney's Cinderella


	4. Chapter 4

** **

**Peeta**

Once he took the plunge abdd signed up, Peeta went about his normal activities. He went to practice, attended his classes, and watched for Katniss. Everyone at the school was discussing the tryouts, especially guessing which girls and boys had signed up and taking bets on who would be the best to represent the district.

"Delly has a sweet voice, if a little whiny at times," Thom voiced in opinion at lunch.

"Yeah, but Bristol has been the lead in all the school productions."  Darius countered.

Peeta kept quiet about it. His teammates didn't seem to notice his lack of interest, though, which suited him just fine. The next day, when Peeta heard the announcement that students who were being a part of the competition should pick up their music from Mr. Abernathy, he decided to try and quietly make it to the music area after lunch.

The young man said nothing as he walked down the steps to the lowest level, avoiding his usual tactics of smiling at those he passed by. Most of the students were still in the cafeteria, but Peeta kept his eyes down just in case so that he didn't attract any attention. He made it to the doors of the department office and walked in. Mr. Abernathy was seated behind his desk with what seemed to be a some type of liquid lunch.

"I was wondering if I would see you or if I would have to bring this home." the old man stated while pushing some papers and a CD towards Peeta.

"I thought this would be a good time. No one is really around." Peeta replied as he looked down at the music. A love song from a Disney cartoon movie? Was he serious?  What kind of tryout was this going to be? He had seen the movie once as a kid and vaguely remembered the song and that the prince sang harmony with Cinderella on it.

Peeta decided to let his opinion be known. "You expect me to sing this?" he asked.

The music teacher looked up through his glasses, "Why not? Everyone else will be auditioning with this. Do you have a problem with it?"

"I have to sing as a prince," the teenager grumbled.

"You have to sing as a young man in love," Haymitch countered. "It doesn't matter if it is a prince or not. As long as the emotion is there, you can pretend to be any kind of man you want."

"Sing like I'm in love..." Peeta's voice trailed off.

Mr. Abernathy smiled as if he had just figured something out.  "Ever felt that way about anyone?"

His thoughts immediately turned to a certain dark haired, grey eye girl.  Those butterflies he got and swell in his heart whenever he was near her.  No, don't think about her right now.  Keep with the business at hand.

"I think I can handle it," he said taking the sheets and CD in his hands.

"You sure about that, kid?" the music teacher teased.

"Alright! Alright!  Stop.  I'll be here for the audition." And with that Peeta gave up the debate and began to walk out.

As he was about to shut the door behind him, he just caught his teacher say one more thing.

"Good luck, boy." 

Peeta breathed out and had just turned to exit the department when he almost knocked into someone. He turned his eyes on the person to see it was his friend Delly Cartwright.

"Oh, Peeta. I'm so sorry!  I was just coming to pick up my..." she said guiltily and then stopped as she noticed the items he held in his hands. Her eyes narrowed at first, then widened and Peeta could almost see the light bulb above her head turn on as she figured out what he was up to.

"Delly! I'm so sorry.  Umm…ummm," He was trying to think about whether to tell her the truth or make up some excuse.

Just as he was about to say more, she somehow sensed that he was trying to keep what he was doing private.  

"It's okay, Peeta.  Don't worry. I won't tell anyone," she said.  He had known her long enough to know that he could trust her and keep her promise.  

"Thanks Dell.  I owe you one." he told her.

"I'll remind you of that sometime, you can count on it."  With that, she gave him a sneaky smile and walked off. Peeta felt his breath let out and went on himself.

It was 8:00 before he was able to sneak away from his house that night. After his shift at the bakery, eating dinner, and homework he finally got some free time and left out the back door to head to Abernathy's house. As the young man figured, the teacher had left the door to his basement open for him, knowing he would come to practice. He went into the room which had been converted into a studio complete with all the latest technology. Peeta didn't need any of the equipment, just the space and freedom to practice alone. He tried a few warm ups, then decided to finally look at the music itself.

The song was not long, and the male part didn't come in for quite a few lines, but the harmonies had lots of ups and downs, highs and lows which made it interesting at least. He tried it out a few times and afterwards felt he had the notes pretty well. Peeta wasn't satisfied, though. He knew he sounded flat with no emotion. He just couldn't get into the song. He thought maybe he could go up and try to convince Haymitch to make a change. But he knew that wasn't going to happen. This was the song, and he had to learn to work with it. He attempted it for another few minutes, and decided that was enough for one day. Maybe the emotion would come tomorrow. For now, it was exhaustion for the win.

The week flew by and the day was here. Each night up until now he had practiced in the basement, but still the song seemed to lack something. Peeta was out of time, though, and he only hoped his vocals would be passable, if not spectacular. He was only doing it to see what he could do, anyway, and never thought he would actually make the show.

School ended and he hung out to say goodbye to his friends before they left, claiming he had forgotten something. Peeta walked back in and headed down to the now familiar area. It was exactly 4:05 as he saw Mr. Abernathy and a couple of other music teachers holding on to clipboards. He gave them his form and that it was his time. He listened as they told him that his partner for the tryout was already in her booth. He was to go into Recording Room 2 and get his headphones on. Once he was ready, they would start the track of the music for them to sing.

Peeta easily found the studio room they had instructed him to find, and he went in and placed the waiting headphones on his ears. The familiar voice of Haymitch told them to get ready, and after a downbeat, he heard the track start, followed by a voice. His blue eyes widened, not because the voice was the most amazing thing he had ever heard, although it was. What he was stunned by was the fact that he recognized the voice. It was one that he had not heard in so long, but it had stolen his heart years ago.

He was five when he first heard her sing, when she stood up in the music assembly at the beginning of Kindergarten and sang  _The Valley Song_  from their district. The whole assembly, as well as the birds outside had been silenced by her voice that day, and Peeta had fallen in love. From that day on, Katniss Everdeen had been the object of his affections. He had watched her at school and at any other time he ever saw her. He felt deeply for her when her father had died when they were eleven, and was devastated as he saw her shrinking before his eyes in the months following. He had tried to do what little he could for her. It was then, he knew, that she had silenced her voice. He had not heard her since that time.  Not once, that is, until this moment.

It was Katniss who was singing, he didn't have to see her to know it. As she sang, he listened to her sweet natural tone. It was beautiful. His mind quickly thought again to what Mr. Abernathy had said about brining emotion to the song. This one needed to be from a young man in love.  _Young man in love? No problem._  He could sing this song easily, because he was in love, and the girl he was going to sing to was the subject of that love. It didn't take any imagination at all to create the emotion needed.

With that, Peeta began to sing his part when it came time. He had one line by himself, but then the rest was the male and female parts together. As their voices combined, he was amazed at how they blended together.  _Wow_ , he thought,  _I may not be an expert, but this is sounding incredible._  The connection between the two just seemed to have a surreal quality about it. He was getting completely lost in the moment, and the spell was only broken as the song ended.

There was complete silence as it did. Peeta wasn't sure if that was a good sign, but he just couldn't find words for what had just happened. He finally heard a voice instructing them that they were done and could leave, bringing him back to reality. He walked out and immediately to his left saw the figure he was expecting and hoping to see. She met his eyes, and the look on her face made it clear that she had not been expecting to see him. The shock was evident. He smiled at her and as usual around her was unsure what to say. Should he be feigning surprise or just look calm and cool?

It was Katniss who broke the silence by quietly saying, "It was you."

Peeta smiled at the simple knowledge of her speaking to him. "Yeah, it was me. I can see you're surprised to see me here."

"I just didn't expect it. You are on the wrestling team.  I had no idea you were a singer."  She raised her eyebrow at him, almost demanding to know where his skills had come from.

"I've been taking lessons privately for a little while," he said simply.

"Oh. I see." she replied, and looked down at the ground.  "Well, I just have to say that you were really amazing Peeta."  His heart swelled at her praise of him.  "You probably made me sound better than I really am since I haven't sung like this in so long."

"Don't underestimate yourself." he told her.  "I could hear you, too, and you sounded fantastic. I remember how well you always sang. It was good to hear you do it again."  He stepped a little closer to her.  "And I also have to say…I...I think we sounded really good together." Peeta said this last part mostly to see her reaction.

In response, Katniss lifted up her head and looked straight at him, "I think so too."

"Look, I'm heading out now.  Can I walk you to your car?" he asked.

"Sure." she re[lied, and they fell in step together walking out. They were in sync as they walked to the school parking lot. They were silent, but Peeta could sense the electricity in the air between them and this gave him new hope at the possibilities of a future with her.

As they reached her car, she fished in her purse for her keys.  Finding them, she turned towards him one last time. "Thanks for walking me out." she said.  "And...good luck. I hope that you get it."

Peeta loved her consideration. "Good luck to you too Katniss. If anyone should get a chance to be on the show it should be you."

"I guess we'll just see how it goes," she shrugs unsure.

Peeta nods.  "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," and she gets into her little car. Peeta watched to make sure it started for her and she could go safely, and then headed towards his own. As he drove off, thoughts of her and what they had done together that afternoon flooded his mind. He could only dream at this point that he would get the chance to do it again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Katniss**

As Katniss drove off from the school, she felt herself finally breathe normally for the first time since she had entered the music area. All of the nerves beforehand, combined with the elation of singing, the shock of seeing Peeta, and the pleasure of walking and talking with him had set her emotions into a complete tailspin. Now that she was alone and it was all over, the adrenaline was gone and she could relax and process it all.

She found that one thought trumped all the others.  _It had been Peeta_. In her wildest dreams, she could have never imagined that he would or could sing. He had always been on sports teams of some kind in school, and never seemed particularly interested in music. He had said that he had learned privately, so maybe it was something he didn't want everyone to know about. She could visualize all of his teammates teasing him mercilessly if it became public knowledge.

Other little thoughts came to Katniss' mind. If he was keeping his skills a secret, then one had to wonder what had made him decide to try out. That would be interesting to know.

Then, in a flash, she realized something else about Peeta.  _He had known it was her who he was singing with!_  That was why he wasn't shocked at all when he saw her after it was over.  He recognized her voice.  

 _But h_ _ow could he? Had he heard her singing before? Katniss_  tried to remember, but she couldn't. She had sang at various school event when she was really young, but that had been so long ago. Peeta couldn't have remembered her voice over so much time. _Could he?_   She let that thought go and drove on.

Katniss arrived and parked at her house in the Seam neighborhood.  As soon as she walked in, almost immediately Prim was upon her and attacking with questions.  Her sister was the only one she had told about signing up for the competition, and Prim, being a huge reality show fan was more than excited.

"Did you go to the try out? How did it go? Who did you sing with? Was he cute?" Her sister was full of romantic notions. If only she knew…

Katniss huffed. "In the order of your questions, the answers are: yes, fantastic, Peeta Mellark, and a lot of girls think so," and although she answered everything, Katniss knew this would not appease the eager 13 year old.

Prim let her know it soon enough, "AAGH! You are so frustrating Katniss. I want details! Wait a minute…Peeta Mellark? Isn't he the one who-"

"Yes, he is," Katniss interrupted her sister because she knew where that topic would lead, and she always avoided reminders of the worst time in her life if she could. But the terrible memories came anyways, taking her back five years before.

Their wonderful father had died in an accident when the mine he worked at collapsed. Many of the miners had been saved, but it took the rescue teams too long to get to him. Katniss had been devastated. She had loved him so much.  Mr. Everdeen had taught his daughter so many things during their treks in the woods, including how to sing.  Her memories of their times singing together in the woods were magical. His death was made even worse by the effect it had on her mother. Her grief turned into despair and depression, leaving her unable to even get out of bed. The clinic was understanding at first, but after weeks of not showing up, they had no other choice but to let Mrs. Everdeen go. Without any income, things quickly turned from bad to worse. The food finally ran out, and even though she gave what little she had to Prim, Katniss could see that they were all starving and would be beyond hope if she didn't do something soon.

She tried to sell some of their meager possessions, but no one, not even the thrift stores would buy their threadbare items. Katniss was desperate when she found herself behind the bakery and resorting to looking through the dumpsters to find some kind of food. As she looked, she was interrupted by the baker's wife who spat out insults.

"Seam trash," the woman had called out.  "Get out of our bins and go back to the hole you crawled out of."

Katniss had been so weak she could hardly move to leave, so she had just slumped down on the ground. It was then that she saw him, a blonde haired boy she recognized from school coming out with two loaves of bread that were burnt on the ends. She could see a red mark on the left side of his face like he had been slapped. The boy had a look of determination, though, as he first threw the burnt parts of the bread to the pigs behind the bakery, then amazingly, gave a small glance her way and tossed the rest of the loaves in her direction. With nothing more, he walked back into the building. Katniss quickly picked up the bread and ran all the way home that night. She shared what she had with Prim and her mother. It had felt like a feast.

When Katniss arrived at school the next day, she saw Peeta in the hallways, but could not grab onto the courage to speak to him and give him her thanks for what he had done. At lunch, she was even more surprised when she sat down at her usual place next to Madge to see a frosted cupcake at her seat with a note that simply said  _Just because_.

"Where did this come from?" Katniss had asked.

Madge shrugged.  "Don't know." she said before taking a bite.  "It was here when I arrived with that paper with your name on it.  Secret admirer?"

"Seriously doubt it," she had joked.  "Probably just joke to make me think that."

Joke or not, though, that cupcake was too much temptation.  She picked it up and savored the bite that came her way.  She devoured the treat.  It meant the world to her, and in that moment she made a decision. The gift Katniss had been given would not be wasted. She would find a way to feed her family, no matter what.

Over the next weeks that passed, Katniss went everywhere, from helping at the food pantry, volunteering to sort food at the market, picking the extra fruit and vegetables from the surrounding farms, to hunting when possible in the woods. Over time, she not only found that she could provide, but provide enough food for all three of them so that they were never again close to starvation. After a couple of months, her mother started to come out of her depression to start living again, and eventually found a job at the hospital where she now worked. The hours and pay were terrible, but it was enough that it took some of the burden off of Katniss so she could focus on school again. She had never forgotten that day, though, and what Peeta had done. He had given her hope, and had taken her heart.

Prim once again brought her out of the flashback, "How was it singing with him? You said it went fantastic."

Katniss never could hide the truth from her sister, "It was amazing, little duck. I wish you could have heard how we sounded together."

"I will when you are on the show!" the younger girl said with a knowing smile.

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Let's just see what happens," and with that Katniss headed up the stairs. She spent the evening completing on her homework and watching a little TV with Prim since her mother was working. As she laid in bed late that evening, she went over every word of the short conversation she had with Peeta and kept repeating it until she fell asleep wondering,  _Could he really want to be with me?_

The next morning came faster than she wanted, and before she knew it, Katniss was once again heading to her second period class. She was wondering if there would be a chance to talk with Peeta again, but didn't' get her hopes up. She approached her seat and found a cheese bun sitting on her desk, a little note beside it. She picked it up and read it.

_Just because. –P_

She looked up and her eyes locked with his blue ones that we already fixed on her. She smiled at him, but didn't say anything as the teacher decided to start the class at that moment. The class was about halfway through when the school intercom crackled with a voice.

"Hello students. This is Principal Undersee. I just wanted to make an announcement about the results of the Duets try outs. Mr. Abernathy wants to thank everyone who came to audition. Everyone did a fantastic job. The two students who have been selected from District 12 High School to represent us on Duets are..." The pause for dramatic flair was killing her.  "Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Congratulations and please see Mr. Abernathy in the music department sometime today."

There was silence as the announcement ended and everyone in the class turned to look at the two winners. She could tell that most couldn't believe what they just heard. Finally, there was a chorus of congratulations and other well wishes before the teacher settled them down and went back to the lesson. Katniss snuck another look at Peeta and he smiled and mouthed - _Congratulations-_  to her. She mouthed _-You too-_  back to him and continued to focus on the class until the bell rang.

Peeta immediately found her as they walked out of the room, "Can you believe it?

"No, I can probably think of ten other girls who could sing better than I do," she replied.

He looked at her disapprovingly, "Quit selling yourself short. I think they were really looking for people who sounded good together. We know that we did. When do you want to go see Haymitch?"

"After lunch?" she offered.

"That works for me. I have to head to English now. I'll see you then," he began to turn away.

"Thanks for the cheese bun." she offered and he turned his head back in her direction with a mischievious smile.

"You're welcome," he replied.  "There's definitely a lot more where that came from."

"Counting on it," she was surprised to actually find herself almost flirting.  Peeta nodded, and with that he walked off, but not before he looked back at Katniss one final time.

The day went on as a surreal experience as person after person stopped her to tell her how awesome and exciting it was that she had been chosen. They asked all sorts of questions.   _Where did you learn to sing?  Was Peeta really good?  What song was it?  What do you think you will sing on the show?_

Katniss tried her best to answer, although it made her so tired that she was relieved to finally get to the cafeteria in hopes of some quiet relief in the company of Gale and Madge.

She thought wrong. "You little sneak! You tried out and didn't have the decency to tell us, your best friends?" Madge almost yelled at her. Gale seconded this thought by giving her the evil eye.

"I'm sorry. I know I should have told you. But until I actually went in there, I wasn't sure myself that I was going to be able to do it," Katniss apologized. "I'm truly amazed and shocked that they picked me."

"I'm more surprised at the other choice of singer." Gale offered, "Who would have known that about Mellark?"

"Looks like not many did from what I see over there," Katniss watched as Madge pointed over to the table where the wrestling team sat. She couldn't make out any of the conversation, but she could tell from the animation in their body language that they were ridiculing Peeta to no end. She felt sorry for him, but he seemed to be handling it well from the look on his face. She ate her food as her friends continued to chat. When there were about five minutes left in the lunch period, Katniss saw Peeta walking towards her direction.

He reached the table. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." she nodded. "Let me just throw my trash away."  And with a wave goodbye to Gale and Madge, she got up and followed him. Eyes all over the room were watching them intently as the two of them walked out together. She threw her paper bag away then they exited the cafeteria. The pair headed down and walked into the music area once more.

They entered Mr. Abernathy's office where he was once again having his liquid lunch.

"I was wondering when I would finally see you two," he said before throwing some papers in front of them.

"These are for you." he ordered. "You're going to need to get these permission slips filled out and signed by your parents since you are still minors. Do it over the weekend and have them ready by the time we get on the train on Monday morning."

"Monday morning?" the teenagers asked together.

The music teacher stared at them. "Yes, Monday morning the three of us are getting on the train to head to the Capitol to prepare for the show. You will practice and rehearse all next week to be ready for the first show the following week."

Katniss quickly tried to process all of this new information.  _Leave on Monday for the Capitol to be prepared to sing on a national TV show the next week? What about school and all that we would miss? Who would make sure Prim is okay after school and watch over her while Mom works? How could I possibly sing in front of millions of people? I'm not that good! I only did this to begin singing for myself again, not to be in front of all of Panem._

The thoughts ran on and on and the pressure began building until she felt tears brimming in her eyes. Katniss placed the papers back down and out of the blue said "I'm sorry! I can't do this!" Before either male could get a word out, the young woman ran out of the room taking her backpack with her. She didn't stop, but just ran out of the building, got into her car and drove. She stopped only once she reached the edge of the woods, got out, and literally kept running until she reached her spot. Then, the tears finally flowed. She knew she was being a coward, but she just didn't think she had it in her.

Katniss just stayed there long after her tears had dried up. She just sat soaking in the scent of the trees and waiting until she felt she could face going home. She didn't know how long she had been there, and was just about to get up and leave when she heard loud feet clomping through the trees. She looked up just as Peeta came into the clearing.

She gasped in surprise, "Peeta! What are you doing here?  How did you find me?"

"I found your sister." he gasped between breaths. "When I told her what had happened and that you had run off, she said you would probably be here. She told me how to find this place," he answered as his breathing began to return to normal.

He took a couple of steps closer to her. "The real question is, Katniss, why did you run off like that?"

She looked down at the ground dejectedly.  "It's all too much, Peeta. There will be all so many people watching. I've watched the show. I can't compete with all of the voices that will be there. Who will watch after Prim while I am gone?  I Just can't leave." She felt the tears once again trying to burst forth..

Peeta's blue eyes looked straight into her grey one.  She could see the compassion in them as he answered, "I understand Katniss. Trust me, I do. I'm leaving a lot for this, too. But look, you won't be alone. I'll be there with you, okay? Did you even think of how I would feel if you didn't go?"

Katniss sighed, "Of course I did, but Mr. Abernathy could easily find someone else to sing with you. You'll be great with whoever your partner is."

At hearing those words, Peeta raised his voice at her. "Maybe I don't want to have another partner! Maybe it's you I want to sing with me!"

He drew even closer to her, and Katniss could almost feel the electricity grow between them with each step he took.  Peeta drew close enough to take her hand in his.  "I know you are scared, but give this a chance. Please Katniss, sing with me?"

Her grey eyes looked straight into his blue ones again as she heard his plea. Her heart melted at the knowledge that he actually wanted her with him. She knew she wouldn't be able to deny him this.

Katniss took a deep breath, and nodded her head. "Yes."

His smile spread across his entire face. "Good. Now take these," he said handing her the stack of papers she had left earlier, "and I'll see you on Monday."  

She took the papers and Peeta nods.  "Remember, we're in this together."

"Together," she repeats.


	6. Chapter 6

** **

**Peeta**

As the train sped on, the word _whirlwind_ kept going through Peeta's mind. Since the moment of the announcement that he and Katniss would be on Duets, it seemed like life had picked up to a crazy speed and he was trying his best just to keep up.

At first, it was dealing with all the people congratulating him and asking ten million questions that half of which Peeta didn't have the answer to.   _When do you leave?  What are you going to sing?  Can we get tickets to the show?_

Then came lunch and dealing with the ridicule he knew would come from his friends on the wrestling team. They let him have it pretty good with the jokes and names.

"So our best wrestler turns out to be a singer," Thom began.  "Care to belt out a sweet love song, Mellark?"

"Not a the moment." Peeta refused to give in to the taunting.

"Oh come on, Peeta." his friend nudged.  "Give us a rendition of Unchained Melody."  The group all laughed.

"Just wait til you see it on the show." he offered.

Thom let it drop.  "Alright, lover boy, but you better represent the team well out there. We'll be watching you."  Peeta joined the laughter then, now that he knew the team would be behind him.

Peeta thought he finally might have some calm once he joined Katniss and they went to see Mr. Abernathy, but then came the news that they would have to leave for the Capitol on Monday morning, giving them only the weekend to settle their affairs in order. It was daunting, but Peeta ran through the to do list in his mind of everything he would need to do. At the same time, he noticed the change in Katniss as what could only be called fear dawned in her eyes. Before he could react, she had flung the papers they had been given down and ran out after stating that she couldn't' do it. Peeta turned to look back at Haymitch.

"Any ideas why sweetheart just ran out of hear like a deer in headlights?" the old man gruffed

"She's scared." Peeta stated and the mentor nodded. "It's a lot to take in."  He took a deep break.  "Alright oh sage one. What do we do now?"

"I didn't know until this morning that we would have to go so soon. If you want, I can pick someone else to be your partner. I have a couple of girls in mind," the music teacher replied.

That idea didn't sit well with Peeta. He wanted Katniss. He wished she could see what he did when she sang. The girl had such little self confidence in herself. She had so much on her shoulders with her family, too. This was an opportunity for her, for both of them, if only she would take it. At this moment, Peeta was pretty sure there was only one person who could convince her.

"Don't do anything yet." he tells Haymitch. "I'll go find her. We can talk it out. I'll let you know tonight what happens."

"Okay boy. Are you sure about this?" the older man asks.

"You heard us together, what do you think?" The mentor looks directly at him.

"I think it was like nothing I had ever heard before. Go find her." And with that Peeta left school, forgetting the rest of his classes.  Out on the search, he went to a few of the teenage hotspots, with no success. There was no trace of her car or anything to lead him. It was getting late in the afternoon when he decides that there is nothing to do but head to her house. He finds the address in a school directory, and drives until he reaches a small house on the other side of town. He walks up the steps and knocks on the door.

Within seconds it opened, revealing a young teenage girl behind the door. Blond braid flying, she happily greets him with a smile, "Hello! May I help you?"

His memory kicked into full gear. This must be Katniss' sister.  And with that memory also came her name... Prim. Katniss had called her Prim.

He finally answers her, "Hi Prim. I'm Peeta. I'm looking for your sister."

The young girl turns pale.  "Is she okay?  What happened?"

"I thinks Katniss is fine.  But, she and I found out that we were chosen to be on Duets this morning. After that, she just ran off. Do you know where she might be?"

The thirteen year old looked back at him, processing all Peeta had said.  The astute girl realized what Katniss must have done, "Ugh!  Typical Katniss. She doesn't confront her problems.  I'll let her have a piece of my mind when she gets home. She is probably in the woods at her spot. I'll draw you a map of how to get there."

Peeta smiled at her, "Thanks, Prim. I appreciate it." He walked in the house and got the directions he needed, He then drove to the place she had indicated. He located a parking area near the woods, and knew he was in the right direction because he finally saw Katniss' car. He entered the unfamiliar woods and followed the path Prim had marked on her map. In five minutes he found the area and there she was. He could tell she had been crying. Peeta felt for her, wishing that she would let someone help her, instead of taking on everything herself. If she would only let him in on what was going on inside her head.

Katniss hear him coming and immediately looked up as he entered the clearing. She was surprised that it was him, and asked how he had found her. Peeta explained and asked her why she ran off. Finally, she released all of the emotions in her head, telling him all of her fears in one long wave of What ifs. He was glad that she opened up, but frustrated that she still thought so little of herself when she said that a replacement could easily be found for the competition. _Why_ _doesn't she get it?_ He decided to open up on his own feelings and let her know that it was her that he wanted to sing with. Kantiss seemed to respond to his appeal, and so Peeta pleaded with her to sing with him. He relaxed when she finally said yes. Peeta then gave her back the papers to be filled out, and told her he would see her after the weekend.

He didn't really want to leave her then, but he also knew that it was for the best. She had a lot of logistic to work out in a short time. Besides, there was his own family to inform and deal with. He could imagine what their reaction to everything would be. All of them would be incredulous at the idea that he could sing and would ask about when and where he had learned. After the initial shock, Peeta figured that his father would be supportive, while his brothers would make jokes of all kinds at his expense. His mother was harder to figure out. More than likely she would be upset that he was leaving them so long without his help in the bakery. Finding a replacement to cover his shifts would have to be number one on his to do list over the weekend.

The reactions went pretty much exactly as expected.  He endured his brothers insults.  "Baby brother is a singer?  When did this happen?"

"It's something I've been working on for awhile now." he quietly told them.

"Well, well.  And now you're all big shot heading to TV.  They're going to dress you all up in silly costumes, I bet," Rye continued.

"I wouldn't know." Peeta controlled his anger. "All I know is that I leave on Monday."

"And just who is going to take you shifts while you go off to the celebrity life?" his mother seethed.

"I'll find someone before I leave, I promise." he told her.

HIs mother scoffs as his father gives him a pat on the back.  "Well, congratulations son.  I wish you well.  It's quite a show.  We'll be anxious to see your talent."

The evening ended with his father signing the needed forms with his blessing. After that, the weekend passed quickly as Peeta worked his shift most of Saturday, along with trying to complete as much classwork as possible. The next day, he called up all of his friends until he found a wrestling teammate who was reliable and in need of some extra cash.  He offered his friend work at the bakery to much delight.  Even his mother was pleased when Peeta told her who he had hired. With the important things done, he spent his final Sunday hours packing all that he thought he would need. Without knowing what to expect once they reached the Capitol, this was harder than he thought. With so much on his mind, sleeping was difficult, and he was up before the sun arose.

When he arrived at the train station, Peeta was amazed at how many in the district had shown up to say goodbye to them, waving and cheering wildly. Some he knew, and many he didn't. Good luck signs with their names were everywhere.  Katniss got there ten minutes after him, closely followed by Mr. Abernathy. The three of them boarded, and with the train whistle blowing, Peeta took Katniss' by one hand, and with his other waved to the crowd. She took the cue and waved as well. He could feel her hand trembling a little, but her grip was firm enough on his as the train began to move.

So here he was, now standing along the railing and watching the scenery roll by. At least it had been a quiet trip so far. At that moment, the door slid open and Katniss appeared and stood beside him. She was dressed in simple jeans and soft purple t-shirt, and her hair was in the usual braid. She looked beautiful to him.

"Hey," she said, "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

He turned to look at her, "Fine. It was nice to have a quiet moment after such a crazy weekend. I don't think I've stopped once until now."

Katniss chuckled, "Me too. I spent most of Friday night talking with Prim and Mom over everything. Then on Saturday, it was getting things settled so that Prim can stay with Gale's family when Mom is working. I even did some extra hunting on Sunday so there would be extra food, plus packing for who knows how long?"

Peeta couldn't' help but laugh, "Sounds about as good as mine was." He seized the moment between them to hold her hand. It just felt like a natural instinct to do so. His blue eyes were locked with her grey ones until the door slid open again and Haymitch came out.

"You two get in here. We need to go over some things before we get there." The two teens followed the man back into the car of the train; the moment between them lost. Their mentor began explaining to them the Duets process. Once they arrived in the Capitol, they would first be shown to their suite in a building that adjoined the studio where the show was shot. They would then meet their stylists, who would create a style and look for them for the entire time they were there. The first night, they would join the other district contestants in a kind of parade in front of the judges so that they would have an idea of how each couple sounds before the premiere the following Monday. The next day, vocal coaching would begin for the rest of the week.

"Just sing the song that you did for the audition," Haymitch told them. "That should be enough for the judges. Once that's over we'll talk about some songs you might think about doing for the first show."

As they neared the Capitol and its skyline came into view, both Katniss and Peeta were awed at the size and grandeur of it. The buildings were enormous and everything looked new and clean. The train pulled into the station, and there was a small crowd gathered there, and the two realized that the people were trying to get a look at them. Peeta immediately began waving and smiling to the crowd, already playing the competition. He knew that the more the public liked you, the more votes you would get.

They got off the train and were driven through the town until the group reached a large auditorium building, with what looked like a small apartment complex attached. The driver went past the large structure to a parking area at the entrance of the apartments. Peeta thought that this must be where they were going to stay. The suites inside were all numbered, and the attendant at the main desk told them to find the suite with the number that matched their district. Walking the long hallways, they finally found a door labeled _Twelve_ and went inside. It was a spacious area, with large living room, a dining area, and three bedrooms off of the main room.

The two males let Katniss pick her room first, then divided the other two between themselves. Peeta found his suitcases already in the room he picked when he walked in. Somehow they knew where he would end up.  After the long journey, he needed to rest for a while, but eventually there was a knock at the door.

It was a handsome man in what seemed to be his mid-thirties, dressed fashionably in all black, with a touch of gold eyeliner. "Hello! You must be Katniss and Peeta. I'm Cinna, your stylist for the show."

The duo greeted him and he circled around them, looking the two over. He finally smiled approvingly and said, "I think that I would like to have your outfits match each week. It will make you seem more of a team. In this competition the more together you look, the better your odds will be."

Peeta had no problem with this, and looked to Katniss who seemed to be okay with it, as well. It wasn't too extreme, and Peeta knew sometimes the stylists on the show could get over the top. Both just wanted to look at least somewhat normal, even if they were always matching. Cinna took quick measurements before leaving them, saying that prep teams would be coming up in an hour to help them get ready for the evening events.

They took advantage of the time to practice their song a few times. To Peeta it seemed like each attempt sounded better than the last, and felt that they were as ready as they could be. Abernathy had said this was just a preview, and nothing too serious. Before long, the prep teams arrived, and he was taken to his room and Katniss to hers. The team trimmed his hair and eyebrows, followed by manicuring his nails. They fortunately opted for no makeup on him, at Cinna's request, to keep a natural look. Finally, they had laid out simple black pants, and a blue button up shirt for him to wear. Peeta got dressed, then went out to meet Katniss so that they could head to the auditorium.

He went out into the living area, and there she was. Her hair was down in waves, and she was in a soft dress that went down just below her knees. It was a pale blue color that matched his shirt. Sparkling earrings were on her lobes.

"You look great," he told her.

She blushed and quietly said, "You do too."

He held out his hand.  "Ready?"

"Ready." Katniss took it without hesitation.

Haymitch yelled out one last command.  "Just do your best.  Make sure they remember you."

Together they walked out and followed the path to the main auditorium. The sight that met them there was one to behold. It was a huge place that could at least hold 10,000 people. The stage was gigantic, and the two just stood there looking in awe for a moment. They walked down the aisles towards the stage and began to see a variety of people either standing around or sitting in the front rows. Most were teenagers around their age. They could see a beautiful petite dark skinned girl standing beside a much larger male. There were also anther couple who were scowling at the entire group, and one boy and girl standing next to the wall who were kissing.

Peeta looked at Katniss. She shrugged as if saying _"This is our competition?"_  The pair finally chose some seats in the second row. Within moments, there was a tapping at the microphone as their attention was drawn to the center of the stage. A well-dressed woman with long painted fingernails and pink highlights in her hair was standing there.

"Welcome! Welcome! I am Effie Trinket, the producer of Duets. I hope that you all had a safe journey to the Capitol and are ready to begin. We have a big, big show to put on, and I know you are very anxious to get started. Today, each district couple will come up and sing one song for our judges. They will not be necessarily giving any critiques at this time, but are taking the opportunity just to see you and hear how you sound. Before we start, though, I want to introduce you to our judges who should be very familiar to you. Please welcome Plutarch Heavensbee, Seneca Crane, and Coriolanus Snow!"  

The group gave respectful applause as the three men entered and took their seats in front of the stage. They were well known from being on the show for so long, and each had their own unique personality.

"Now that were settled, we'll start with District 1…Marvel and Glimmer," Effie commanded and two figures got up to walk up on the stage. Peeta watched them as they began singing. They weren't bad at all, and they were extremely good looking, which always meant lots of votes from the viewers.

Next up for District 2 was the scowling pair he had noticed earlier. Their names it seemed were Cato and Clove. As soon as they started their song, the scowls completely disappeared and it was obvious these two had been singing together for some time. The chemistry was obvious. _Wow. They are really good._ Peeta had to admit the truth.

District 3 was next, a strange pair named Beetee and Wiress, who huddled together as if to speak in some language they only knew. They finally sang _Catch a Falling Star_.  Catchy.

Then came the kissing couple who were from District 4. Finnick was the male and extremely good lookin. Definitely one the ladies would be voting for. Annie, the female, was pretty, but Peeta could tell she was very shy and quiet. Not the best attribute to survive on this show.  You had to make an impression

The lineup continued with District 5, which had a talented girl who had a face like a fox, followed by District 6, which were a pair of hippies complete with flowers in their hair. They, of course, sang _Blowing in the WInd_ complete with acoustic guitar accompaniment.

District 7 was highly entertaining, as the girl, Johanna, was definitely a rock chick, complete with a spike haircut. She was an anomaly next to her partner who dressed in preppie sweater and khakis. Interestingly enough, though, that despite the style differences, they sang well together.

District 8 was a sweet pair named Woof and Cecilia, who Peeta thought he would be friends with if he had met them otherwise. Districts 9 and 10 seemed nice, but forgettable. When District 11 came up, though, Peeta had to sit up in his chair. The beautiful girl he had saw before sang and had the voice of an angel. _If this was a solo competition, she would win for sure_ , he thought. Her partner, Thresh, kept up with her as best as he could.  they were smart to use a song that featured her more than him.

Finally, it was their turn. Effie called for District 12, and Peeta grabbed Katniss' hand to lead her to the stage. They each grabbed a microphone and went to the center. Katniss gave his a quick look to which he nodded and smiled back at her. The familiar downbeat was heard and she once again began to sing in that lovely voice. Peeta watched her in awe as she did, this time remembering to enter the song on his cue. Their voices combined and their eyes met as they just focused on each other, all the way until the end.

When it ended, Peeta was so in the zone, that he was startled to hear one of the judges actually speak. "Nice job. Great chemistry." Seneca Crane noted.  The two smiled at him and the other judges, then walked off the stage. Most of the other couples were still there and many looking at them with dumbstruck expressions.  _I wonder what that means._

Effie dismissed the group then, and they walked through the aisles to leave. Mr. Abernathy met them right outside the door. "Well, how did it go?"

"Good, I think. Seneca Crane said that we had good chemistry," Katniss told him.

"That's interesting. The judges usually never say anything at this point." and Peeta could see the wheels turning in their mentor's head. The three walked back towards their suite with the teenagers recounting all of the performances from the other districts.

Haymitch took it all in and they finally asked him, "Well, what do you think?"

"What do I think? I think its going to be a tough competition. You two better get some sleep, because tomorrow, we are going to get to work." They entered the suite, each heading to their own room.

Before parting with Katniss, though, Peeta couldn't help but take her hand. "Good night, Katniss."

"Good night, Peeta," she smiled, and then turned and closed the door to her room. He smiled, knowing that he  would sleep well tonight with thoughts of her.


End file.
